Locking device



y 3, 1929. E. R. PENNEY ET AL 1,722,231

LOCKING DEVICE Filed June 18, 1927 i NTORS Q 1.; J77 czrrz'or,

9 E R. Penngg,

ATTORNEY Patented July 23, 1929.

.UNITED STATES EARLY R. PENNEY AND JAMES W. FARRIOR, 0F WARSAW, NORTHCAROLINA. I

LOOKING DEVICE.

Application filed J une, 18,

This invention relates to means for locking nuts against backing offrotation from their bolts and aims to provide a'novel structureapplicable to interthreading devices of this character which shall havethe advantage of simplicity of structure, as well, additionally, as theadvantage of providing a constructlon permitting release, disengagementand replacement of the interlocked parts without injury thereto. 7

The primary purpose of the so-called lock nuts is to hold a nut whichhas been tightened on its bolt, against reverse looseningmovementthrough vibration, or unauthorized or purposeless reverserotation. In many uses of such nuts, it is often necessary that the nutbe unlocked. When the lock nut is so constructed as to require a jammingor distortion of the threads-to lock it, the nut and frequently the boltare ruined byforced removal. The construction presented by our inventionwhile providing for an efiective lock against loosening movement of thenut, is so organized as to permit release of thelocking means andremovalof the nut without injury to the nut or bolt or other similarly coactingmembers.

A preferred embodiment .of our invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nut, bolt and locking spring pawlconstructed in accordance with the present invention and in separatedrelation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the end of such anut and bolt with the parts in coacting relation.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the nut and bolt with the spring pawlengaging one of the ratchet surfaces and locking the nut againstloosening movement.

Figure 4c is a similar end elevation but with the spring pawl pressedfrom the ratchet as the ratchet carrying nut is rotated to tighten.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the resilient awl. I p Figure 6 is anelevation of one end of the awl. p Figures 7 and 8 are top plan views ofthe threaded ends of bolts showing modified forms of pawl-seating slotstherein.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a suitable bolthaving a longitudinal slot 2 traversing its threads and extending 1927.Serial No. 199,812.

preferably for the length of the threads. The

slot is suitably shaped to form the seat for a spring bar pawl later tobe described, and, in order to retain the pawl, it may taper as shown inFigure 3 or be grooved at its base edges as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The interthreading nut which engages the bolt is indicated at 3, thisnut, in. accordance with our invention having one or more ratchet slots4 traversing its threaded internal surface. For fineness in lockingadjustment, a plurality of these. ratchet slots are preferably provided.As illustrated, the number of ratchet slots corresponds to the sincethere in Figures 1,2 and 5. V This pawl is formed preferably of springwire bent to form spaced base arms 5 and Gsubstantially in parallel toengage the opposite side walls at the base of the bolt slot 2, the arm 6being a I turned inwardly and upwardlyat? to pro vide an intermediatespring bar 8 upstanding from and parallel withits base and bentdownwardly and laterally at its outer end as at 9 to bring its outer end10 in the plane of its base and alined with and beyond arm 6 so as torest on the bottom of the bolt slot 2. The bar portion 8 is positionedsubstantially in parallel with the base arms 56 and in a plane-at suchdistance therefromthat it will normally seat'in the ratchet slots ofthe-nut as these pass over while the nut is being screwed on. As the nutis tightened, the inclined faces ofthe ratchet slots engagethe pawl bar8 and press it downwardly toward the base of slot 2, the bar in itsyielding movement turning in an arc of which thebase arm 6 representsthe axis or center. The yielding swing of pawl bar 8 is in the directionof tighteningrotation of the nut andithereby facilitates theturninguplof the nut. Reverse rotation of the nut is opposed by theengagement of pawl bar 8 with the shoulder of a ratchet slot in the nut.This resistance to reverse rotationis ample to prevent accidentalbacking off through vibration, etc. The pawl member, however, whileresilient is of such material as may be deformedby' number of sldes ofthe nut; the location of the slots is thereby not abnormal strain orpressure. It is therefore possible'awith thedevice of this invention toback anut oil with force, the bends"? and 9 of the pawl crushing down asthe bar-8 isforcedharddownbythe nut.v The material of the pawl yieldsbefore thatofthe nut and bolt so that these are not injured and-may beusedagain. Furthermore, the construction is such as to permit removalofithe pawl -mem-- her or disengagement priate tool;

Attention is called to' th'e fact that, as is usualwith ratchet surfacesof common design',-tlre ratchetgrooves 4 present stop" shoulders andinel-ines leading upwardly to the tops of these shoulders.- Theseinclines are direction to permit rotation of the niut in tightening orclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 3' and 41* so that the inclineodi the slots will' deprws *the :bar' paw'ls 8 into tapered e1"beveled lto providea base wider" than its topso tl'i at these base arms-are helddewrr to the base (if the slot by the inclined walls thereof;In-Figsrl-andt this same result is attained by having straight sidewalls-undercutat their bases by grooves-scat ing the base armss Man-yvariations in the? form of the-slot zl' areipossible, showrrin Figures'--1-4, it -is oi uniform cross section to the end of the bol-t andthepawl isheldinplace in i the slet by the tension ofits base armslfi amdGagainst the= sides. of the slot at itsi'base and else by tension againstpawl bar S When engaaged by the nut. Or," as shown in Figura athe slotmay exten'd full wi dt'h to a point near the bo-lt "e I d and-be'reduced in widtlr tofpermit onl'y the end 10 of the pawl member to'prof'yecfitherethrou'glr and slightly beyondthe end of the "bolt, the'enld wall 12' termed by --the'reductiorr in width of theslotaetingvasarr abutment engaged by the -conn'ecting endofi the" basearms-5'-6* and preventingzremoval of the pawl while the nutis on' 'thie'boltr In the first form discussed with theunifornrcross section' to the1 end of 1 the boit,-" the -pawl may be removed by suitable pliers.Iir-a' third' fo rm, shown in Figure' 8, slet {2- terminates beforereaching the end at the bolt {providing an end abutment wall l-3hidingthepawland making-it impossible to'--remove it while the nutis onthebolt.

hr the use ao-f the described" locking device on nuts and-'bolts; -thebolt is inserted through the par'tsto be secure'dtogetherand a nut?)is-'runuponthe*bol t shank until it approaches thereof by an approtheparts to be secured. The pawl which can be inserted in the bolt sl'otbefore: or after installation of the bolt in the'partsr' to beloeked'together, is easily applied to its slot, the base arms 5 and6being-pressedtegether, if necessary to give the necessary clearanceandj thereafter seating in the base of the slot at its opposite sides orbeing held thereto by pressure against the bar pawl when the slot isrectangular and without taper or retaining' grooves p I WVhil'ethe morefamiliar and common use or a locking device asdes'cr ibed is; with nutsand bolts, it'is obv'ieus thait it is appheable to otherinterthrea'tlingTleVi-ees 0 f similarnm ture andthe terms mnt and b'0ltwhere used; are intendedas descriptiveand niot as restrictive terms. I-t'will be obvious tliat the pawl I and 1 its slet may be transferredtotlie' nut and the ratchetto the bolt ;-that"tlie' form of pawl and ofthe} mtchet and pawh slots may be correspondingly varied, bothas tocross section and length, within the spirit of ourinvention and 1 thescope? of the appended claims.

Having, now described I and ascertained the nature of the invention,what is claii'ned as; f

1.111 a devicepf tlre characterdescribedpa nut formed-with ratehetsuriacea'a bolt'ha ving a longitudii'ia'l slet' therein forming a recessed' seat, a a pawl menrber having a base snugly seating on thebioltat the bottom of said slot and having anupstanding bar pawlintegrally connec ted ther etoby up wardly inclineds rmg an'n and' e'"ending longitu dina-lly of said slot in par-mar with said base toengage the ratchet surfaces of the nut as it-is= turned-"on the bolt;the-free end of said barbent downwardly and pro Vided- 1 with terminaliportiorr al inetl with its base.

2. In adevice of the character described, a nut formed with i a rateheeslot 'i ii its intern-al threaded portion;- a belt 'h'a virrg a slottherein longitudinally of its threaded-portion,

and a pawl n i'em-ber sea-ted in said belt slot comprising splacedlongit-iiclinall yiextending bar portions --seated onsaid belt engag ingthe sides of said slot at' its bas'e and -p-rovid'ed with an integralupwardl inclined spring arm connecting with elevated pawl bar parallelwith said spaced'bars andefied tive to sea't 'in said ratchet sl otf3.111 a deviceoii the'chara'cter described," a i nut having ratchet-slot' traversing its threads',- a" bolt 1 having 1a 1engiaauaais10ttraversing its threads, and a pawl member of spring stockh'avingspacedintegrallyconnected parallel base arms seating in and "engaging the sidesofsaid bolt slpt" at its 'base and an integrallyconn-ectedfupstanding parallel bar pawl positioned between said spaced'b'ase arms "with *its'free" end inelined laterally downwardtor'alinewlth one-or said base-arm's.

4. In a device of the character described, a nut and bolt havinginterthreading engagement, one having a ratchet slot therein and theother having a longitudinal slot therein to receive a pawl member, thelatter comprising spaced base arms and an upstanding pawl arm inparalleltherewith having a resilient hinging connection with the basearms.

5. In a device of the character described, a nut formed with a ratchetslot in its internal threaded portion, a bolt having a slot thereinlongitudinally of its threaded shank, and a pawl member seated in saidbolt slot comprising spaced longitudinally extending bar portions seatedon said bolt and engaging the sides of said slot at its base underspring tension, and provided with an integral upwardly inclined springarm connecting with an elevated pawl bar parallel with said spaced barsand effective to seat in said ratchet slot.

6. In a device of the character described, a nut having a ratchet slottraversing its threads, a bolt having a longitudinal slot traversing itsthreads and undercut at its base, and a pawl member of spring stockhav-. ing spaced integrally connected parallel base arms seating in andengaging the sides of said bolt slot at its undercut base under springtension, and an integrally connected upstanding parallel bar pawlpositioned between said spaced base arms with its free end inclined"laterally downward to aline with one of said base arms.

EARLY R. PENNEY. JAMES w. FARRIOR.

